Wade Hampton

major bill

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
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Joined
Aug 25, 2012
Is it true Wade Hampton was a renowned bear hunter? Did he really kill over 500 bears, killing 40 with a knife?
 
I have heard modern stories of people killing bears with a knife, mostly as a weapon of last resort. Killing 40-80 bears with a knife, by choice, sounds a bit far fetched to me, unless the bears were seriously wounded/disabled first. I've seen what a black bear can do to a garbage container and, very recently, to my fence.....I don't have anywhere near their strength or speed.
 
Gee...what did he have against bears?!
An ill conceived childhood gift, perhaps.

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Bear hunter? You mean one of those old-fashioned Southern bear hunts where the guide tracks the animal and then drives it into an open clearing so the waiting 'hunter' can shoot it with a high-powered rifle?
I just hope in Wade's day they didn't bait the bears and then assassinate them. YIKES! ....and you guys need to know that I have nothing against hunting per se. ...but I like the notion of fair chase. If Hampton engaged black bears with nothing more than a knife, he was a better man than I am, and that's for dang sure! I would never have the guts to do that...unless it was the bear or me. I will further guess that Hampton never went grizzly hunting.
 
When I think of someone scary, 6'1, 210 pounds, I also think of this guy: (look at the their faces! :giggle:)

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That Guy killed cougars! :D (But only if they were after his ma...)

I read where the bear hunter would have the dogs keep the bear "occupied" and the hunter would come up behind the bear and then dispatch the bear with his knife. Too intense for me.

Actually, Wade Hampton did use bear dogs - they would distract the bear and he'd get it then. Yes...there would definitely be an adrenaline rush involved!
 
This is a tall tale :wink: It was actually published in a former President's book (Teddy Roosevelt's) here. Page 34 is the black bear with the knife bit. Page 204 is Hampton hunting wolf. Of course, both were related to Roosevelt by his friend Hampton...

Oh the irony about Teddy Roosevelt discussing Teddy bear hunting. With a knife...
 
Both methods are illegal out here on the West Coast. It's hunter on foot or horseback with rifle.

True that. A few states on the east coast have similar bear hunting restrictions. In the majority of states it's either baiting, hounding, or both. IMHO, as an avid and long time hunter, "fair chase" without hounds is an exceedingly difficult method of taking a bear, unless you are with an experienced guide who knows exactly where they are.
 
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